There has long been the need to provide for shape and support for the bust area of women under their garments. This is typically done with a brassiere. Further, in the case of some close-fitting garments made of stretchable material, especially swimsuits and active wear, there is a need to have the bust support built in or attached directly to the garment.
Conventional swimsuits are generally made with three different treatments at the bust area. Suits may have no lining at the bust area, or a shelf bra which consists of a piece of fabric attached at the neckline and side seams of swimsuits that hangs loosely at the bust, or a constructed suit which has a pre-formed or stitched pair of cups or a bra attached to the swimsuit. The latter suit is intended to provide support and shape to the breast, but since they are not properly sized to the wearer, they fail to do a satisfactory job. These former swimsuit designs do not provide any support, lift or shape for the bust area. Unlined swimsuits or leotards press a woman's bust down and in addition to no support, give a less satisfactory contour. Frequently, these suits show a woman's nipples which most women dislike. A smaller busted woman tends to avoid these suits because of the flat chested appearance. Swimsuits or leotards with shelf bras do not give support or shape but do usually cover nipples and are preferred over nothing at all, primarily for modesty.
Additionally, the built-in brassiere is usually bulky and uncomfortable for the wearer. Large bosomed women fall out of the cup cavity while indentations to the cup appear on small busted women and generally do not give a natural appearance.
The present invention allows these problems with conventional swimsuits and other close-fitting garments of stretchable material to be remedied. The inner breast cup insert assembly of the present invention provides proper bust fit, support, comfort and shape to the individual wearer who currently cannot find any other way of doing this. Additionally, this invention provides the advantages of a brassiere, but is hidden from view for a natural look. It provides flexibility of fit, choice of size, proper support, comfort, shape and desired look to the wearer.
The breast cup insert assembly and the swimsuit (or other garment) are selected separately according to the wearer's size and fit which distinguishes this invention from other suits currently on the market. A bra size consists of two dimensions, the cup size which relates to bust development, and the band size which relates to chest size. As a women's bust size and body size are mutually exclusive, in that for example a size 12 woman can have a bosom development categorized as 34 A, B, C or D, while a woman wearing a size 16 might have any one of those sizes, the wearer can select her exact brassiere size and a swimsuit in her body size. The invention allows the wearer to select her correct cup and band size which provides proper comfort, lift, fit and support to the bosom. Additionally, the wearer has a choice of inner breast cup insertion depending on the type, shape or purpose desired such as, a normal soft cup construction, an underwire cup construction, a slightly padded cup construction, a fully padded cup construction, or a push up construction (giving a small bosom a more fuller, rounder appearance).